Document WO 2013/180609 A1 is known which relates to a method and a device for the formation of an object in layers. The formation of bodies in layers belongs to the field of the generative methods and may be associated with the so-called 3D printing.
Especially in recent times, such methods are of growing importance. The increasing economic viability and industrial applicability makes 3D printing play an ever increasing role in prototype development. In the sector of individual manufacturing, the possibilities of 3D printing offer attractive perspectives as well. Above all, this relates to prototypes and the individual production of pieces of furniture and other elements from component industry.
As exemplarily illustrated in the above-cited document, wood dust or wood chips are employed here, which are mixed with a binding agent and then used in an additive manufacturing method for building up a volume body.
In order to be able to also form complicated geometries in such a 3D printing method, e.g. DE 10 2011 106 614 A1 provides a movable object support on which the volume body is formed. In that case, the movement of the object support is controlled with respect to a preferably fixed application unit whereby the material is applied onto the volume body. This allows for the formation of volume bodies with complicated geometries such as undercuts and overhangs.
It is exactly the formation of pieces of furniture and other elements from the components industry, however, which puts special requirements on the corresponding device. By way of example, common pieces of furniture or other components are voluminous and correspondingly heavy in many cases. This significantly impedes the build-up of a volume body by a relative motion of the object support, as the load of the growing volume body strains the mechanical system for moving the object support. Such devices are also subject to limitations in terms of the size of the volume body to be formed. What is more, these 3D printing devices have to be purchased in addition to already existing systems for post-processing the volume body, which enhances the costs of the machine park in a corresponding manner.
Such post-processing may consist, for example, in gluing on an edge material, for which purpose e.g. document EP 2 332 718 A2 discloses a 5-axis machining center having a gluing unit.